Chapter 7:

At sunset Vladimir Dracula rose from his coffin with resigned sigh as he prepared for the busy night ahead, another meeting with the wizard Malfoy. The man was useful but by blood and garlic was his pretentious snobbery annoying, being treated as if he was beneath him, he was a Dracula no one had ever treated him that way in his entire life, none had ever dared. DO not succumb to anger, oh how closely anger now bubbled below the surface since he had merged with his darker side and recently he'd felt the mental divide he always kept in his mind slipping, he was falling further into the dark every day but what he most worrying was that he didn't practically care. Once the thought of this Lord Voldemort would have horrified him and he would have been devoted to his destruction but now all he saw was a future hindrance to the enacting of his grand vision, a vision that was once of peace but is ever being twisted by darkness.

Lucius was feeling quite pleased with himself, not only was he now the primary point of contact for the Dark Lords new vampire allies he now had the information that would put the vampire in his debt. He was about to round the last street corner and finally leave the anti – apparition wards that surrounded the ministry, he would usually have used the floo network but due to the incompetent imbeciles the ministry currently employed it was temporarily closed. Malfoy was thinking about how best to use the information he so recently gained for the vampire to his advantage, he had decided that some subtle power play was needed here to show the vampire its place, arranging for the next meeting to also be in the hours of daylight would put the power firmly his hands. Once that was firmly secured and he had control of the creature his place at the right hand of the Dark Lord would be secured, despite the attempts to undermine him by lunatic in-laws. He would have to find a subtle of showing Bellatrix that he was the Dark Lords most tru…

"It's a nice night don't you think" said the Vampire leaning against the wall. "so were you successful?"

Lucius who was just recovering from the shock of having the very creature he was thinking of appear in front of him replied in a haughty tone "of course I was successful"

"Well what did you learn?"

"That there is no plot to destroy your father or yourself, all they want is to question him about the recent attacks and find out if he knows anything they feel as if a trip to the ministry might make him more cooperative" Malfoy stated feeling smug. The vampire just looked at him with a dead eye stare that seem to look into his very soul, Lucius was suddenly reminded of the Dark Lord. His smug feeling died. "what is the real reason behind it?" Malfoy took a breath trying to regain his composure. "oh it's a scheme but rather than your family being a target of it you are but the pawns" some measure of his self confidence returning as he continued "after a brief interview they parade your father in front a bunch of reporters, quite ingenious really"

"So they are going to sell the façade that Count Dracula, the most famous Vampire on the planet is an ally of the Ministry, reassuring the public and potentially depriving Voldemort of vampires for his army at a stroke" Vlad didn't fail to miss how Malfoy had flinched at his master's name.

"A plan that has already failed for you have already allied with the Dark Lord" Lucius said chuckling "the Ministry always a step behind"

Dracula turned away thinking, with the seconds feeling like an eternity for Lucius until he turned back to face him "you will ensure that no reporter attends this meeting tomorrow night" he stated

"I do not take orders from the likes of you" Malfoy hissed in anger, his mask of civility dropping as he draw his wand to teach the bloodsucking parasite a lesson it wouldn't soon forget. He'd show it why he was the Dark Lords trusted right hand.

Seeing the wizard drawing his wand finally caused Vlad's temper to snap, he thrust out his harm sending out a shockwave that sent the wizard flying back into a wall. Causing the bricks to crack with the force of it. The wizard manged to lift his wand in a series of lighting fast wand movements wordlessly sending a sickly red light towards Vlad.

Just as the curse was about hit the Vampire square in the face it stopped frozen in mid air before its glowing red eyes. Panic and fear came upon Lucius in instant, it hadn't blocked the curse or deflected it, it had simply frozen it. Only in the presence of the Dark Lord had Lucius felt such power before. With a flick of its head the Vampire sent the curse flying back at Lucius causing him to scramble to the side, the curse just missed him. A chunk of the wall exploded and he just had enough time to cast a shield charm protect against the debris. The vampire thrust out its arm and lightning shot out from his hand and stuck his shield and fizzled out. Lucius was beginning to feel a touch of his old confidence return, he was a wizard after all and wizards are superior. When another blast of lightning stuck his shield, this one much more powerful, causing it to shatter. Lucius felt an invisible force push him against a remaining part of the wall, he dropped his wand in the process, the force pinning him to the wall was so strong he could not move. The vampire walked towards him slowly eyes red and fangs clearly visible when he spoke "now I hope that settles who between us is in charge"

Lucius said nothing silence being all the fight he had left, the vampire twisted its wrist and suddenly Lucius felt a force tightening around his throat, chocking the air from him. "I said who is in charge" Dracula asked dropping his hand. Lucius fell to the floor gasping for breath. "You are" he chocked out defeated.

Vlad lifted the defeated wizards to his feet, he still wheezing for breath. "so will you be able to complete that small task for me tomorrow" Malfoy just nodded "good because I feel this is truly the start of a wonderful friendship" Malfoy could only nod again "because I do want you to be my friend, I'd hate for you to be my enemy, that would be a tragedy".

"Yes" Malfoy said softly.

"Good" Vlad said in oddly cheerful tone "on the successful completion of your task we can discuss what a favours I can do for you in return". Malfoy knowing that he had no choice stooped to pick up his wand, walked past the wards and apparated away.

"Well that was certainly one way of handling him" Count Dracula said as stepped out of the shadows.

"You been here the entire time" Vlad said

"I got curious about where you were sneaking off too, so I decided to follow you" the Count said. "I think you handled him quite well HA HA HA" the Count did his signature laugh.